Electronic Etiquette

As a rule, when I give my email address to people, I always ask that they not email little poems, short stories, etc. I do this for several reasons.

First, some email junk excessively. For example, I recently fell and sustained leg injuries. I informed family and friends about this. When I finally felt well enough to get on my computer, I found nineteen emails from one individual during one entire evening. After glancing at the titles of those emails, I proceeded to delete. I knew I did not have to time to read all of those. None of those emails would have told me how the person and family are doing. This person finally had the audacity to email claiming not to have heard from me. Duh!

Secondly, if a person has time to forward junk email, then a person has time to update me on their lives. Of course if a person emails a zillion little poems and short stories, maybe this alone reveals their daily life; they have a lot of time on their hands; they have nothing else to do; they are bored and want to bore me; they are neglecting things at home. Who knows?

Although many know I love cats and photography. I don't mind getting adoring cat pictures. However, the most annoying emails are the ones that ask the recipient to send an email to ten friends to show undying love, appreciation, good luck or whatever. I don't respond to these emails, have never had any bad luck and God still loves me. May I ask why people don't communicate these things in person? Maybe this is why communicating face to face has become more awkward.

I consider it a priviledge to have someone's email address. I have actually had people approach me stating "Gee! I haven't heard from you in ages". Shooting from the hip, I always ask if they check their emails. They forget it is a priviledge to have my email address.

So here are some things I do to curb rude email etiquette:

1, Delete. This saves me time and makes me feel powerful.

2. Send a few pictures that have not been resized. Just downloading two unedited pictures can take roughly forty minutes to download for the recipient. While waiting for my download, my recipient can go make a pot of coffee, wash dishes, vacuum, read a book, take a poop, whatever.

3. Return to sender. My personal favorite. If you had enough time to annoy me, you should endure the junk you sent me.

Of course there are some sick people out there that have harmful intent. Personally, this has been the least of my internet problems. I learned long ago one rule of thumb; don't go there and it won't come to you. In simple language, don't throw rocks at a hornet's nest. Case point, when I was learning to navigate the internet, I would be shocked to find some of the filthiest emails on the computer. My ex father in law taught me how to track a user's surf habits. With two people in our household, I confronted my husband. Beet red in the face he claimed that someone else sent us those nasty emails. With his having an iq roughly the size of his shoes, I didn't buy this at all. Why? This filth was stored in "Favorites" and someone at that keyboard has to place files in "Favorites". I certainly traced his internet habits which is one reason he is an ex husband today.

Goes to show that you should never think of others as stupid as you. So get that in yer dern thinking!